Equality

Duke Street Primary Equality Statement and Objectives Equalities Statement • • • • •

At Duke Street Primary School we are committed to: promoting equality of opportunity eliminating discrimination and harassment valuing diversity and promoting positive relationships providing an inclusive education which enables all pupils to develop their full potential meeting the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.

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The Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act 2010 replaces previous anti-discrimination legislation with a single Act. The Equality Duty is set out in section 149 of the Act. It replaces the three previous public sector equality duties – for race, disability and gender – and covers the following protected characteristics: Disability Race and ethnicity Gender Gender identity Marriage and civil partnership (but only in respect of eliminating unlawful discrimination) Pregnancy and maternity Religion and belief Sexual identity We ensure that we have due regard to the need to: eliminate unlawful discrimination, harassment and victimisation and other conduct that is prohibited by the Act advance equality of opportunity between people who share a characteristic and those who don’t foster good relations between people who share a characteristic and those who don’t.

The Governing Body will ensure, that in the cycle of policy reviews, that policies and practices are scrutinised to identify the effects they have on individuals or groups of people in relation to equality.

Aims and Core Values of the School Core Values:

The school I CARE core values have been articulated after consultation with pupils, parents, teachers and governors.

I CARE is mnemonic for Individuality, Community, Aspire & Achieve, Resilience, Empathy These core values underpin everything we are striving to achieve as a school.

School Aims

Duke Street Primary School aims to: ❑

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provide a safe, secure, caring and stimulating learning environment, where everyone takes pride in their work, appearance and the school as a whole promote self-discipline, moral values and self-esteem set challenging yet realistic goals in order to allow each child and member of staff to reach his or her potential encourage an enthusiastic attitude to learning through a well-balanced and varied curriculum work in partnership with parents to provide the best for each child in order to get the best from each child learn from each other, learn with each other and learn on behalf of each other offer colleagues a safe, enjoyable, positive environment in which to work, fostering both team commitment and the well-being and safety of everyone within our school.

Our school aims to be an inclusive school. We actively seek to include all our children in our school community. The equality of opportunity must be a reality for our children and we make this a reality through the attention we pay to the different groups of children within our school with consideration of the following protected characteristics: Age Disability Gender reassignment Marriage and civil partnership (but only in respect of eliminating unlawful discrimination) Pregnancy and maternity Race Religion or belief Sex Sexual orientation

Staff and governors demonstrate our values and commitment to equality by:ensuring acceptable behaviour, responding to incidents and complaints in a proactive way, providing access to services, facilities and information, recruiting and employing people fairly, meeting specific needs.

We believe that equality at our school should permeate all aspects of school life and is the responsibility of every member of the school and wider community. Every member of the school community should feel safe, secure, valued and of equal worth.

At Duke Street Primary School, equality is a key principle for treating all people fairly and creating a society in which everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential - irrespective of their sex,

race, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age, gender re-assignment or any other recognised area of discrimination including pregnancy and maternity.

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Ethos and Atmosphere At Duke Street Primary School, the leadership of the school community demonstrates mutual respect between all members of the school community There is an openness of atmosphere which welcomes everyone to the school All within the school community are prepared to challenge any type of discriminatory and/or bullying behaviour, eg through unwanted attentions (verbal or physical) and unwelcome or offensive remarks or suggestions All pupils are encouraged to greet visitors to the school with friendliness and respect Monitoring and Review Duke Street Primary School is an inclusive school, working towards greater equality in the whole school community. We use the curriculum and teaching to enhance the self-esteem of all those it serves and to provide a learning environment in which each individual is encouraged to fulfil her or his potential.

We collect and analyse a range of equality information for our pupils/students: We make regular assessments of pupils’ learning and use this information to track pupils’ progress, as they move through the school. As part of this process, we regularly monitor the performance of different groups, to ensure that all groups of pupils are making the best possible progress. We use this information to adjust future teaching and learning plans, as necessary.

Resources are available to support groups of pupils where the information suggests that progress is not as good as it should be. The governing body receives regular updates on pupil performance information.

School performance information is compared to national data and local authority data, to ensure that pupils are making appropriate progress when compared to all schools, and to schools in similar circumstances.

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As well as monitoring pupil performance information, we also regularly monitor a range of other information. This relates to: Attendance Exclusions and truancy Racism, sexism, homophobia and all forms of bullying Our monitoring activities enable us to identify any differences in pupil performance and provide specific support as required, including pastoral support. This allows us to take appropriate action to meet the needs of specific groups in order to make necessary improvements.

Duke Street Primary School is also committed to providing a working environment free from discrimination, bullying, harassment and victimisation. We aim to recruit an appropriately qualified workforce and establish a governing body that is representative of all sections of the community in order to respect and respond to the diverse needs of our population.

Learning and Teaching We aim to provide all our pupils with the opportunity to succeed, and to reach the highest level of personal achievement. To do this, teaching and learning will: • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Provide equality of access for all pupils and prepare them for life in a diverse society Use materials that reflect a range of cultural backgrounds, without stereotyping Use materials to promote a positive image of and attitude towards disability and disabled people Promote attitudes and values that will challenge discriminatory behaviour Provide opportunities for pupils to appreciate their own culture and religions and celebrate the diversity of other cultures Use a range of sensitive teaching strategies when teaching about different cultural and religious traditions Ensure that the whole curriculum covers issues of equality and diversity; All subject leaders' departments, where appropriate, promote and celebrate the contribution of different cultures to the subject matter Seek to involve all parents in supporting their child’s education Provide educational visits and extended learning opportunities that involve all pupil groups Take account of the performance of all pupils when planning for future learning and setting challenging targets Make best use of all available resources to support the learning of all groups of pupils Identify resources and training that support staff development Learning Environment There is a consistently high expectation of all pupils regardless of their gender, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or any other recognised area of discrimination.

All pupils are encouraged to improve on their own achievements and not to measure themselves against others. Parents are also encouraged to view their own children’s achievements in this light.

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Teacher enthusiasm is a vital factor in achieving a high level of motivation and good results from all pupils Adults in the school will provide good, positive role models in their approach to all issues relating to equality of opportunity The school places a very high priority on the provision for special educational needs and disability. We will meet all pupils’ learning needs including the more able by carefully assessed and administered programmes of work The school provides an environment in which all pupils have equal access to all facilities and resources All pupils are encouraged to be actively involved in their own learning A range of teaching methods are to be used throughout the school to ensure that effective learning takes place at all stages for all pupils Consideration will be given to the physical learning environment – both internal and external, including displays and signage when appropriate

Curriculum At Duke Street Primary School, we aim to ensure that: Planning reflects our commitment to equality in all subject areas and cross curricular themes promoting positive attitudes to equality and diversity

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Pupils will have opportunities to explore concepts and issues relating to identity and equality Steps are taken to ensure that all pupils have access to the mainstream curriculum by taking into account their cultural, backgrounds, linguistic needs and learning styles Resources and Materials The provision of good quality resources and materials within Duke Street Primary School is a high priority. These resources should: Reflect the reality of an ethnically, culturally and sexually diverse society Reflect a variety of viewpoints Show positive images of males and females in society Include non-stereotypical images of all groups in a global context Be accessible to all members of the school community Language We recognise that it is important at Duke Street Primary School that all members of the school community use appropriate language which: Does not transmit or confirm stereotypes Does not offend Creates and enhances positive images of particular groups identified at the beginning of this document Creates the conditions for all people to develop their self esteem Uses accurate language in referring to particular groups or individuals and challenges in instances where this is not the case Provision for Bi-lingual Pupils We undertake at Duke Street Primary School to make appropriate provision for all EAL/bi-lingual children/groups to ensure access to the whole curriculum. These groups may include: Pupils for whom English is an additional language Pupils who are new to the United Kingdom Gypsy, Roma and Traveller Children Advanced bi-lingual learners Use first language effectively for learning Personal Development and Pastoral Guidance Staff take account of gender, ethnicity, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, age or any other recognised area of discrimination and the experience and needs of particular groups such as Gypsy, Roma and Traveller, refugee and asylum seeker pupils All pupils are encouraged to consider the full range of career opportunities available to them with no discriminatory boundaries placed on them due to their disability, gender, race or sexual orientation (whilst acknowledging that a disability may impose some practical boundaries to some career aspirations) All pupils/staff/parents/carers are given support, as appropriate, when they experience discrimination We recognise that perpetrators may also be victims and require support.

Positive role models are used throughout the school to ensure that different groups of pupils can see themselves reflected in the school community Emphasis is placed on the value that diversity brings to the school community rather than the challenges.

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Staffing and Staff Development We recognise the need for positive role models and distribution of responsibility among staff.

We encourage the career development and aspirations of all school staff It is our policy to provide staff with training and development, which will increase awareness of the needs of different groups of pupils Access to opportunities for professional development is monitored on equality grounds Staff Recruitment All those involved in recruitment and selection are trained and aware of what they should do to avoid discrimination and ensure equality good practice through the recruitment and selection process Partnerships with Parents/Carers/Families and the Wider Community We will work with parents/carers to help all pupils to achieve their potential.

All parents/carers are encouraged to participate in the full life of the school.

We are working towards becoming a School of Sanctuary Roles and Responsibilities Our governing body will ensure that the school complies with statutory requirements in respect of this policy The headteacher is responsible for the implementation of this policy, and will ensure that staff are aware of their responsibilities, Our staff will promote an inclusive and collaborative ethos in the school, challenge inappropriate language and behaviour, respond appropriately to incidents of discrimination and harassment, ensure appropriate support for children with additional needs and maintain a good level of awareness of equalities issues All members of the school community have a responsibility to treat each other and staff with respect, to feel valued, and to speak out if they witness or are subject to any inappropriate language or behaviour